‘India, Pakistan should settle disputes through dialogue’

ANP chief stresses logical conclusion of NWA operation, vows to defend Constitution, Parliament, says no one can force PM to resign

Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan Sunday urged India and Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue so that the large amount being spent by both countries on defence could be diverted towards development projects.

“If the defence expenditure is diverted towards development, the two countries can leave Malaysia and Dubai behind,” said the ANP chief while addressing a meeting at Saadatabad Utmanzai where Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Charsadda President Taimur Khattak and his associates announced to join ANP.

Khan stressed the need to “logically conclude” Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan Agency (NWA). “The NWA operation cannot be compared with the Swat operation. In the Swat operation, local militants were challenged the state’s writ while in NWA, foreign terrorists including Arabs, Uzbek, Tajik and Afghans are present.”

Calling for the rehabilitation of the displaced people of NWA, Khan said, “If the Army’s claim that 90 percent of NWA has been cleared of terrorists is true, then arrangements should be made for honourable return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).”

“Many houses have been destroyed in the offensive. It is the government’s responsibility to make arrangements for their rehabilitation,” asserted the ANP chief.

He cited the winning of Nobel Peace Prize by Malala Yousafzai as proof that “Pashtoons are not extremists but are pro-development and nationalists”.

Referring to the political situation in the country, Khan said that repeated warnings by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about a third umpire raising his finger were silenced by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s unprecedented announcement that the Army would not interfere in political matters.

Khan also lashed out at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for not taking “timely decisions”.

“If the PM had ensured registration of First Information Report (FIR) in the Model Town tragedy and agreed to reopening four constituencies for ballot recounting, the present issues would not have risen.”

“Sharif has learnt from the crises and now he attends the joint sitting of Parliament while in the past he avoided attending Senate sessions.”

The ANP chief made it clear that his party did not support Sharif but was in fact fighting for the supremacy of the Constitution and Parliament.

“ANP will not oppose PM Sharif’s removal through Constitutional means but would be in the forefront if any one tries to oust the PM through force.”

“After the 18th Amendment, the Constitution does not allow for mid-term elections and the power rests with the PM to advise the president to dissolve the National Assembly,” he said.